Automatic railway-switch.



PATE'NTED MAY 5, 19 08.

I. CALL. AUTOMATIQRAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLIGATIdN FILED MAY 26, 1907.

. A H/ M 1 INVENTOH IHA.A.EALL

By 4 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES IRA A.. CALL, OF BAN'CROFT, IDAHO.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC nAinWAY-swmcI-I.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

.Application filed m 25, 1907. Serial no. 376,678

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, IRA A. CALL, a citize of the United States, and a resident of Ban- This invention is an automatic railway switch adapted to be operated from the train 91 engine while in'motion, andhas for its obect to provides. simple and effective switch of the stub rail type, which will not be apt to clog from snow, dirt or other cause, nor from contraction or expansion of the rails at the.

switch.

A further advantage of the construction is that i the operating mechanism is located above ground or on a'levei with 'the track and not'subject to. the disadvantages incident to underground or sunken parts. v

A further characteristic is certainty of operation by trams approaching from either direction. I a

Further advantages and improvements will be ap arent from the followlng description and t 1e accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side-elevation of the switch. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a section onthe line. 3..3 of Fig. 2. Fig. .4 is a detail in vertical ,longi tudinal section of the supporting plate and rail ends.

The main track rails approaching the switch from one side are indicated at A;

those on the other or trailing side at C; the

siding rails at D; and the movable stub switch rails at B; all supported on ties in the usual manner, except that theswitch'rails are mounted .on plates P to be hereinafter described. The switch rails are connected by spacing rods 0.

At E is indicated a side rail for throwing the switch from the main line to the siding.

This islocated on the right, beside the switch rails, and it is supported by pivoted links J on plates I fixed to the ties and to the plate P. It is tapered at the ends,- and connected to a horizontal .bell crank L b ashort rod K. This bell crank is )ivoted to the late P and connected by rod T Lo the switc 1 railsB.

The side rail E is operated by a tripper or wheel (not shown) attached to the front truck of the engine and operated from the cal) to press the rail E down when the train is to take the siding, and when so ressed down the connect-ions ncluding t e bell crank throw the switch rails from the main line to thesidin'gland hold the same until the front wheels of t e engine reach a side rail F, .beside the-siding rails D. l

. The side -rail F isloeated close'beside the railsD and is operated by the train wheels; Itis supported y links U pivoted to plates crank S and rod M" to the bell crank L. Consequently when the engine wheels strike and ress down the side rail F it holds the switc rails to the siding until the last car. of the train has main track, w on the switch rails are returned to main line position b the spring Q. The length of'the side rail is such thatat 110 from the weight of at least one pair oftrucks and the load thereon. i

side rail F is pressed down by the wheels, which line the switch rails for the switch, and is retained in that position until the last car has passed onto the main line, when the switch is returned by the spring Q, as before.

In case of a main line train trailing the side the rails C and-su ported by links U and connected by crank and rod M to a bell crank L on the side 'of the switch opposite .the said crank L and similarl connected to the switch rod 0. Train whee s passing-over the side rail F hold the switch absolutely in main line position until the. last car has assed thereover. The top of the side rail F is flush with the tread of rails C, so that its chief function is that of a safety rail.

In any position or circumstances, the pasof one truck taking the siding and another the main 11ne, or vice versa. The switch 1s normally in posltion for main line trains, and

course of the entire train.

ing plates T and T, and pointed guards R define the correct positions of the switch. An ordinary switch stand can be laced'as indicated at G and connected to t 1e switch by red H.

essary for the switchman to hold it in position until the wheels of the first car reach the side rail F, after which it will be held there-;

on the ties and connected at the end by a passed on to the siding. from the.

the firstwheels determine absolutely the The cranks S and S are mounted in beartime during the passing of a train is it free-[. 5'

In case of a train already-on the siding and desirous of getting on to the main line, the

switch, a side rail F isfprovided, located besage of a train locks or holds the switch rails in desired position and avoids the possibility In case it is desired or necessary to operate the switch by hand, it will be neea 1 5 on the higher part of the p ate; The shoulwitchesithat itiwill not lo' 'by'stone's, coal,-

- and avoids the possibility'of ,a whe el flange j' A plate P underlies each of the-switch rails v.B and also the'ends of the rails A, C and D, as

rails consequently prevent binding or tight work 20' b y contraction 'pull ,awayfrom the switch 7 [rails and cause 25 and insures stability and durability shown articularly in Fig. 4. This plate is of'deci ed im ortance. The rails A, C and D are fastene thereto, and the plate isreduced thereunder, forming shoulders p against whichthe endsof the said rails abut, the rail B being of less hei' ht and mounted ders :prevent" creeping or expansion ofthe C-and D toward theswitch rails and i'ng of-the switch, 'which'might tpreventtheir' invariable, operation, and I astening' the ends of the said rails to the p ate they cannota lowjor pounded joint at tiie-i ends; The platesform a solid and'iniQQyg able-rest hr chair for the ends of allithrails switch. .All, theparts are'above tlie tr e," consequentlygrequire no excavation "or, special' bed, -9; n;. hae= the advantage over split pieces of ironor; the likebetween the points, a

taking the wrong'track, The plate P Wlll always remain clean, in. consequence of the movement of the switch rails, and any "snow orvo'ther matter lodging on the switch may be as eas" y removed as from an ordinari track -A feature of theside rails is that t ey are.

beveled at the lower-edge,'as shown in Fig.

a'l'id'conseqi entl they into snow or i 'dirt aocumulate heneath theno 1. In an automatic switch, the'co'mbinaf tion oi the main line and siding rails, and-the switch-stub rails therebetween, of a plate having reduced'ends and shoulders, thelnsain "linerails abutting against said shoulders, and

the'switch stub railsupon said late :be-

tween the ends of said fails, of bel cranksconnected to the switch stub rails, a spaced side rail beside the main line rails on the aproach side of the switch, side railsfclose eside the siding rails and'the main 'rails on the trailing s ide of the switch, a connection between the spaced side'rails and the; bell cranks whereb ressure u on said side rails 7 v v will operate to close the switch, and connec tions etween the other side rail and the bell 'crankawhereby pressure upon the siderails retain the switch stub rails in closed'pos'itionj Y 1 2. In an automatic switch," theconibinw ii1 011 of the main line and siding rails; and the 65 Switch stub rails therebetweerf, 'Gf a "plate having reducedends andshoulders, the main; line'rails abutting against said-shoulders, and the switch stub rails, upon said, late between ,the' ends of said rails, of be cranks connected to the -switch stub rails, side rails beside the main line rails on theiapp'roachside of the'switch, and on the trailing sideof the switch, side rails beside thesiding rails,

and connections between Jeachof said side rails and the bell cranks, whereby depression of said side rails close theswitch.

IR-A A." CALL. Witnesses! w I FRED G. CALDWELL, A. .D. BUTTERFmLD." 

